A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis

I will not be writing a review of A Grief Observed in the way that I usually write book reviews. Instead I will share with you what I wrote on Goodreads.

My Goodreads Reflection

Over the years I have come to love and respect C.S. Lewis more than any other Christian thinker/writer because unlike the others, Lewis recognized his limitations as a mortal being. He insisted that The Chronicles of Narnia were a “thought experiment” rather than an allegory because he didn’t want his readers to think that he knew more than they did about God and salvation. He wrote The Screwtape Letters from the perspective of the devil because “the devil is a liar.” The protagonist was not God because Lewis didn’t want to lead others astray by making the God character say things that were untrue. He recognized the responsibility that comes with being a Christian writer. Once again, Lewis didn’t want his readers to think that he was a greater Christian than they were. He wrote much about his faith, but he was humble.

A Grief Observed is powerful because Lewis is so brutally honest with his feelings. He doesn’t pretend that everything’s OK because his wife is with God. I imagine anyone can benefit from reading this book, but for me it was extremely powerful because I have experienced a loss in my life. I am so grateful that someone had the courage to put into words some of the feels that I experienced. Death is frightening and heartbreaking. I doubted the goodness of God many times. There’s no denying that. And Lewis doesn’t deny his feelings and doubts either. If only more Christian writers were as honest with their readers.

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Published by Fariba

I am a PhD student in French with a particular interest in late medieval and early Renaissance religious performance and rhetoric. I love browsing research libraries and shopping at used bookstores for obscure/lesser known books.
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4 thoughts on “A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis”

A great review, Fariba! You explained exactly what I love about Lewis: his humbleness, thoughtfulness and respect towards others. I can’t wait to read this book (I must finish up Surprised by Joy first).